Rochester, N.Y.-- Seeking to reassert leadership and reassure troubled financial markets that the deficit will be brought under control, President Obama called for tax increases and spending cuts he said would reduce deficits by $4 trillion over 12 years-- and vehemently denounced Republicans’ own deficit plans as an assault on the elderly and poor.
On April 13, President Obama gave progressives like me a much needed reminder that he truly is a man of principled character. Most of America barely noticed what he had to say that day-- I watched the speech on C-SPAN, which was pitched as a "deficit reduction" plan. It was much more than that. I got goose bumps with every passing spoken word.
I assume most looked at the president's speech as if it were only about budgetary details. But the speech went well beyond the numbers and transcended partisanship. It went to the heart of progressive thought and the nature of American democracy and it gave all progressives, including me, a model of how to think and talk about every issue under the sun. Budget decisions are truly a philosophy-- it's about personal responsibility, inclusion, opportunity and a fair shake at the American Dream.
To me, this was a landmark speech. The timing of it was impeccable. It should be watched and read carefully by every citizen who cares about our country-- it's a message for the ages.
The policy topic happened to be the budget, but he called it, "The Country We Believe In" for a reason. The real topic was how the progressive moral system defines the democratic ideals America was founded on and how those ideals apply to specific issues. Obama's moral vision, which he applied to the budget, is more general: it applies to every issue we face as Americans. And it can be applied everywhere by everyone who shares that moral vision of American democracy.
Discussion in the media has centered on economics-- on the president's budget policy compared with the Republican budget put forth by Paul Ryan. But, as Robert Reich immediately pointed out, "Projecting ten or twelve-year budgets are baloney. It's hard enough to forecast budgets a year or two into the future." The Ryan plan, in very certain terms, contradicts the moral vision of why America is the greatest nation on earth.
Today, our real economic issues are economic recovery and finding a remedy for the inadequate distribution of wealth and services for the poor and middle-class. As I have stressed over and over again on previous posts here at the Voice Reporter, the Republican mantra on the deficit is really a strategy for privatizing public services, enabling the rich and turning our country ultra-conservative in every respect. America can not survive without a strong middle-class. The real issue here is an existential question: what is America at heart and what will America become?
In 2008, candidate Obama laid out these moral principles as well as anyone ever has and roused the nation in support. In his first two years as president, he focused on pragmatics and policy. He let moral leadership lapse, leaving the field of morality to radical conservatives and the Tea Party folk. They took advantage of an angry electorate and they exploited their opposite moral views effectively enough to take over the House and many state offices in 2010. For example, ultra-conservative forces effectively attacked the president's health care plan on two simplistic ideas taken from the right-wing version of morality. They are freedom ("government takeover") and life ("death panels").
The attacks were successful even though Americans preferred the president's health care policies, which included the highly popular "no pre-conditions" language and universal affordable coverage. The lesson here is that morality at the general level beats out policy at the particular level. The reason is voters identify themselves as moral beings, not policy wonks. I also believe most Americans think the House GOP and the radical GOP governors are over-reaching-- the electorate is definitely experiencing voter's remorse right about now.
All politics is moral. Political leaders put forth proposals on the assumption that their proposals are the right thing to do. Obviously, progressives and radical conservatives have very different beliefs when it comes to understanding what is right and what is wrong.
He's back
Obama's speech hit us right between the eyes-- the president is back with just the basics, straightforward ideas of right and wrong that he correctly attributes to the founding of our country. I was suddenly reminded of the fact that my activism and work is truly not in vain and this fight for democracy is still worth fighting for.
The basic idea is this: Democracy is based on empathy, that is, on citizens caring about each other and acting on that care, taking responsibility not just for themselves but for their families, communities and their nation. The role of government is to carry out this principle in three ways: protection, services and empowerment.
Obama quoted Lincoln a couple of times, saying "to do together what we cannot do as well for ourselves." That is what he calls patriotism. He spotlights "the American belief ... that each one of us deserves some basic measure of security... that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, hard time or bad luck, crippling illness or a layoff, may strike any one of us." Obama cites the religious version of this moral vision: "There but for the grace of God go I." He also said that the greatness of America comes from carrying out such moral commitments as Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. I really needed to hear that again-- and I needed to hear that from my president at a time when right-wing zealots are going after immigrants, the poor, elderly, the disabled, labor unions, people of color, the environment and everything up and in-between.
Let Obama's words be a lesson for all progressives. Moral arguments can, and should, always be given for all progressive policies at all levels of government on all issues: the environment, marriage equality, education, health care, civil rights, family planning, organizing rights, voting rights, immigration, and so forth. It is only by repetition of these moral principles that the voting public begins to understand how all these ideas fit together as realizations of the same basic democratic principles I believe our forefathers intended as an edict for future generations to live by.
Here is a portion of the April 13 speech that I found particularly inspirational:
The America I know is generous and compassionate; a land of opportunity and optimism. We take responsibility for ourselves and each other; for the country we want and the future we share. We are the nation that built a railroad across a continent and brought light to communities shrouded in darkness. We sent a generation to college on the GI bill and saved millions of seniors from poverty with Social Security and Medicare. We have led the world in scientific research and technological breakthroughs that have transformed millions of lives.
This is who we are. This is the America I know. We don’t have to choose between a future of spiraling debt and one where we forfeit investments in our people and our country. To meet our fiscal challenge, we will need to make reforms. We will all need to make sacrifices. But we do not have to sacrifice the America we believe in. And as long as I’m President, we won’t.
Amen.
-Commentary by Ove Overmyer
The opinions expressed here in this commentary by Mr. Overmyer do not reflect the views of CSEA as an organization.
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| President Obama delivers a federal deficit reduction plan at George Washingon University on April 13, 2011. Obama gained praise from progressives and rankled the ultra-conservative Tea Party voices in the House GOP. photo: WashingtonTimes.com |
On April 13, President Obama gave progressives like me a much needed reminder that he truly is a man of principled character. Most of America barely noticed what he had to say that day-- I watched the speech on C-SPAN, which was pitched as a "deficit reduction" plan. It was much more than that. I got goose bumps with every passing spoken word.
 |
| Here is a glimpse of how the 2011 Federal spending priorities were divvied up. (click on image for a larger view) |
To me, this was a landmark speech. The timing of it was impeccable. It should be watched and read carefully by every citizen who cares about our country-- it's a message for the ages.
The policy topic happened to be the budget, but he called it, "The Country We Believe In" for a reason. The real topic was how the progressive moral system defines the democratic ideals America was founded on and how those ideals apply to specific issues. Obama's moral vision, which he applied to the budget, is more general: it applies to every issue we face as Americans. And it can be applied everywhere by everyone who shares that moral vision of American democracy.
Discussion in the media has centered on economics-- on the president's budget policy compared with the Republican budget put forth by Paul Ryan. But, as Robert Reich immediately pointed out, "Projecting ten or twelve-year budgets are baloney. It's hard enough to forecast budgets a year or two into the future." The Ryan plan, in very certain terms, contradicts the moral vision of why America is the greatest nation on earth.
Today, our real economic issues are economic recovery and finding a remedy for the inadequate distribution of wealth and services for the poor and middle-class. As I have stressed over and over again on previous posts here at the Voice Reporter, the Republican mantra on the deficit is really a strategy for privatizing public services, enabling the rich and turning our country ultra-conservative in every respect. America can not survive without a strong middle-class. The real issue here is an existential question: what is America at heart and what will America become?
 |
| photo: Ove Overmyer |
The attacks were successful even though Americans preferred the president's health care policies, which included the highly popular "no pre-conditions" language and universal affordable coverage. The lesson here is that morality at the general level beats out policy at the particular level. The reason is voters identify themselves as moral beings, not policy wonks. I also believe most Americans think the House GOP and the radical GOP governors are over-reaching-- the electorate is definitely experiencing voter's remorse right about now.
All politics is moral. Political leaders put forth proposals on the assumption that their proposals are the right thing to do. Obviously, progressives and radical conservatives have very different beliefs when it comes to understanding what is right and what is wrong.
He's back
Obama's speech hit us right between the eyes-- the president is back with just the basics, straightforward ideas of right and wrong that he correctly attributes to the founding of our country. I was suddenly reminded of the fact that my activism and work is truly not in vain and this fight for democracy is still worth fighting for.
The basic idea is this: Democracy is based on empathy, that is, on citizens caring about each other and acting on that care, taking responsibility not just for themselves but for their families, communities and their nation. The role of government is to carry out this principle in three ways: protection, services and empowerment.
Obama quoted Lincoln a couple of times, saying "to do together what we cannot do as well for ourselves." That is what he calls patriotism. He spotlights "the American belief ... that each one of us deserves some basic measure of security... that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, hard time or bad luck, crippling illness or a layoff, may strike any one of us." Obama cites the religious version of this moral vision: "There but for the grace of God go I." He also said that the greatness of America comes from carrying out such moral commitments as Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. I really needed to hear that again-- and I needed to hear that from my president at a time when right-wing zealots are going after immigrants, the poor, elderly, the disabled, labor unions, people of color, the environment and everything up and in-between.
 |
| Progressive flags fly high at the One Nation Working Together Rally at the National Mall in Washingon, D.C. on Oct. 2, 2010. photo: Ove Overmyer |
Here is a portion of the April 13 speech that I found particularly inspirational:
The America I know is generous and compassionate; a land of opportunity and optimism. We take responsibility for ourselves and each other; for the country we want and the future we share. We are the nation that built a railroad across a continent and brought light to communities shrouded in darkness. We sent a generation to college on the GI bill and saved millions of seniors from poverty with Social Security and Medicare. We have led the world in scientific research and technological breakthroughs that have transformed millions of lives.
This is who we are. This is the America I know. We don’t have to choose between a future of spiraling debt and one where we forfeit investments in our people and our country. To meet our fiscal challenge, we will need to make reforms. We will all need to make sacrifices. But we do not have to sacrifice the America we believe in. And as long as I’m President, we won’t.
Amen.
-Commentary by Ove Overmyer
The opinions expressed here in this commentary by Mr. Overmyer do not reflect the views of CSEA as an organization.
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